Man charged with hiring hitman to kill hitman who killed his wife

The husband of a Detroit area woman who was strangled in January has been charged with plotting to have the man charged in her death killed. WDIV's Marc Santia reports.

Police say a Detroit-area man was caught on tape trying to hire someone to kill the hitman who killed his wife, according to media reports.

Authorities arrested Bob Bashara of Grosse Pointe Park on Monday and charged him with solicitation of murder, prosecutors said in a news conference, NBC station WDIV reported. The Detroit Free Press reported that he was arrested at a property he owned that police said had a sex dungeon in the basement.

Officials allege Bashara offered to pay someone to murder Joseph Gentz, the man charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the death of Jane Bashara, the Detroit Free Press reported. 


Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy told reporters that Bashara had several meetings with someone between June 8 and June 25 with the intention of hiring the person to kill Gentz in the detention facility where he's being held before his July 23 court date. 

"We are alleging that this defendant, Mr. Bashara, met with another person, not a law enforcement official, on several occasions for the purpose of hatching a plan to kill Mr. Gentz in jail," Worthy said.

WDIV reported that the man whom Bashara is accused of soliciting to carry out the murder was cooperating with police and was wired for audio.

Worth said Bashara also met with a second person whom he wanted to kill Gentz, the paper reported. 

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The Free Press reported that Bashara was a person of interest in his wife's death after he failed a polygraph examination, but he hasn't been charged. 

Jane Bashara was strangled in her SUV in January. 

The station reported that sources said Gentz, who had been Bashara's handyman on several real estate deals, killed Jane Bashara on her husband's order. 

David Griem, Bashara's attorney, told the paper that his client believes he was being set up. 

"He was shocked, he was surprised, he didn't know why he had been arrested," Griem told the paper.

He said Bashara told him before being transferred to a county jail, "David, this is a setup."

Griem told the paper that Bashara said he believes the person trying to set him up is someone he knows, but not well. Griem said Bashara thinks it's someone who sold furniture and appliances to him. 

Griem said a man approached Bashara several times about the idea of killing Gentz, but turned him down each time. 

Gentz's attorney, Susan Reed, told the paper she alerted officials that her client was in danger when someone told her about the plot against him. She didn't suspect Bashara of being involved until he was arrested.

"It makes sense," she told the newspaper. 

Gentz has been moved into segregation in jail for his own safety, the Free Press reported. WDIV reported that Bashara is on suicide watch in a county jail.

At Bashara's arraignment Wednesday, bail was set at $15 million, the Free Press reported.

If convicted, both Bashara and Gentz could each face up to life in prison.

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Jump to discussion page: 1 2

Something tells me they won't end up cellmates, but each will probably get what they deserve.

  • 5 votes
Reply#1 - Wed Jun 27, 2012 2:45 PM EDT

Welllllll - the urge for revenge against somebody who murdered a loved one is understandable.

Doesn't make taking the law into your own hands and hiring a hitman to kill them OK, but still, one can sympathize...

  • 3 votes
#1.1 - Wed Jun 27, 2012 6:42 PM EDT

Nonsense, he arranged the hit on his wife originally and was trying to remove a witness to that fact.

    #1.2 - Wed Jun 27, 2012 7:51 PM EDT

    LMAO at this article..be on the floor laughing my ass off.... if the hit mans..hitman had a hitman contracted to hit him.

    Yes stirred not shaken..Bonds is the name!

    • 1 vote
    #1.3 - Wed Jun 27, 2012 10:13 PM EDT

    Khalid-2395974

    Welllllll - the urge for revenge against somebody who murdered a loved one is understandable.

    Doesn't make taking the law into your own hands and hiring a hitman to kill them OK, but still, one can sympathize...

    Reread the article.

    The Free Press reported that Bashara was a person of interest in his wife's death after he failed a polygraph examination, but he hasn't been charged

    Jane Bashara was strangled in her SUV in January

    The station reported that sources said Gentz, who had been Bashara's handyman on several real estate deals, killed Jane Bashara on her husband's order.

    It might not be revenge but a way to cover up his tracks havig someone kill his wife.

    Wonder if he would have then hired a third hitman to go after the second?

    • 1 vote
    #1.4 - Wed Jun 27, 2012 10:41 PM EDT

    "...met with another person, not a law enforcement official, on several occasions for the purpose of hatching a plan to kill..."

    Is it unusual that you have to go outside the police station to hire a killer?

    • 2 votes
    #1.5 - Thu Jun 28, 2012 1:58 AM EDT

    This guy isn't too smart. The guy is already convicted of first degree murder. Let the courts finish him off. Why get involved to possibly get yourself into trouble when there is a perfectly working sex dungeon not being used???? Priorities dude!

    • 2 votes
    #1.6 - Thu Jun 28, 2012 9:36 AM EDT
    Reply

    If you want something done, Do it yourself !

    • 14 votes
    Reply#2 - Wed Jun 27, 2012 2:47 PM EDT

    If the law (there is no justice) would do their job this would not have happened.

    • 1 vote
    #2.1 - Wed Jun 27, 2012 4:55 PM EDT

    "If the law (there is no justice) would do their job this would not have happened."

    And what were they suppose to do? They already have the suspect in custody.

      #2.2 - Wed Jun 27, 2012 6:27 PM EDT

      Just hire a sheister lawyer or have enough money and you are free as a bird/

      O.J Simpson was innocent he

        #2.3 - Thu Jun 28, 2012 1:10 AM EDT
        Reply

        Sounds like he hired the first guy but needs him silenced. It's hitmen all the way down...

        • 8 votes
        Reply#3 - Wed Jun 27, 2012 3:02 PM EDT

        Well at least one part of the economy seems to be booming.

        • 5 votes
        Reply#4 - Wed Jun 27, 2012 3:06 PM EDT

        The toughest part is staying in business...

        • 4 votes
        #4.1 - Wed Jun 27, 2012 3:17 PM EDT
        Reply

        "First rule of assassination: kill the assassian." James T Kirk, Star Trek VI the Undiscovered Country.

        • 5 votes
        Reply#5 - Wed Jun 27, 2012 3:13 PM EDT

        So, after Bashara got the hitman killed was he intending on hiring another person to kill that hitman and so on and so forth? Wow, I see many twists and turns into this story, especially since there is also the sex dungeon portion of the program. Stay tuned, folks.

        • 7 votes
        Reply#6 - Wed Jun 27, 2012 3:19 PM EDT

        Sounds like a Lifetime Special Event movie!

        • 2 votes
        Reply#7 - Wed Jun 27, 2012 3:21 PM EDT

        You can't make this stuff up. Oh wait, you can. It has strong similarities to the movie Grosse Point Blank. I'm sending this to M. Was the hitman also about to attend his reuinion and reconnect with his high school sweetheart?

        • 3 votes
        Reply#8 - Wed Jun 27, 2012 3:27 PM EDT

        And this happened in Grosse Pointe? Maybe he should have just hired John Cusack...

        • 3 votes
        Reply#9 - Wed Jun 27, 2012 3:30 PM EDT

        What a sick society!

        • 1 vote
        Reply#10 - Wed Jun 27, 2012 3:36 PM EDT

        It's a "sic" society!!!

          #10.1 - Wed Jun 27, 2012 10:43 PM EDT

          what a "sic" society!!!! not sick as you have a cold..."sic" in da head!!!!

            #10.2 - Wed Jun 27, 2012 10:55 PM EDT
            Reply

            Simple solution: THUNDERDOME!!!

            "Three men enter, one man leaves!"

            • 2 votes
            Reply#11 - Wed Jun 27, 2012 3:47 PM EDT

            Bust a deal and face the wheel!

            • 1 vote
            #11.1 - Wed Jun 27, 2012 5:07 PM EDT
            Reply

            Grosse Pointe? A hitman hired to kill a hitman?

            Dumb @#$@!# Luck!

            • 1 vote
            Reply#12 - Wed Jun 27, 2012 3:52 PM EDT

            Best quote of the movie. The other one being, "I'll see you at the 'I've peaked and I'm kidding myself' event."

              #12.1 - Wed Jun 27, 2012 8:25 PM EDT
              Reply

              I think he was just standing his ground.

                Reply#13 - Wed Jun 27, 2012 4:38 PM EDT

                Blood Simple?

                  Reply#14 - Wed Jun 27, 2012 4:50 PM EDT

                  " ... a property he owned that police said had a sex dungeon in the basement."

                  I believe this warranted more detail in the story. Or no mention at all.

                  • 1 vote
                  Reply#15 - Wed Jun 27, 2012 4:54 PM EDT

                  Yeah I've always wondered why every time someone gets arrested its necessary to mention they have a big stack of p0rn in the basement ( or similar ).

                    #15.1 - Wed Jun 27, 2012 5:06 PM EDT

                    Into dungeons?

                      #15.2 - Wed Jun 27, 2012 5:40 PM EDT

                      I was thinking the same thing about the dungeon. An interesting aside perhaps but relevant how...?

                        #15.3 - Wed Jun 27, 2012 5:45 PM EDT
                        Reply

                        Mr. Gentz's attorney said, when told about Mr. Bashara's plot to kill her client: "It makes sense." It only makes sense if her client is guilty of the murder charges filed against him. What would Bashara have to gain by killing an innocent man? Case closed.

                        • 1 vote
                        Reply#16 - Wed Jun 27, 2012 5:18 PM EDT

                        So is a hitman killing another hitman considered murder or downsizing?

                        • 2 votes
                        Reply#17 - Wed Jun 27, 2012 5:25 PM EDT

                        no, outsourcing...

                          #17.1 - Wed Jun 27, 2012 6:20 PM EDT
                          Reply

                          NOW, there's a guy who's full of hit man.

                            Reply#18 - Wed Jun 27, 2012 5:39 PM EDT

                            Sounds like a hit-parade...(where's Dick Clark when you need him)

                              Reply#19 - Wed Jun 27, 2012 6:18 PM EDT

                              Should have just hired a drone instead...

                                Reply#20 - Wed Jun 27, 2012 6:27 PM EDT

                                Seems to me that Bashara is just trying to cover up his own hit by hitting the man he used to hit his wife. On another note, it is Ironic this happend in Gross Pointe. Did anyone else see Gross Pointe Blank , a movie about..you guessed it..a HITMAN.

                                • 1 vote
                                Reply#21 - Wed Jun 27, 2012 7:25 PM EDT

                                Now we just wait for the Hollywood adaptation starring Samuel L Jackson, Liam Neeson and Kristen Stewart (shudder).

                                • 1 vote
                                Reply#22 - Wed Jun 27, 2012 7:42 PM EDT

                                its a dog eat dog world!

                                • 1 vote
                                Reply#23 - Wed Jun 27, 2012 8:36 PM EDT

                                Detroit Murder City

                                  Reply#24 - Wed Jun 27, 2012 10:13 PM EDT

                                  Eeedeeyut.

                                    Reply#25 - Wed Jun 27, 2012 10:56 PM EDT
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